Bihar’s Purnia constituency is set for a three-way battle in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with RJD’s Bima Bharti, JD(U) incumbent MP Santosh Kushwaha, and independent candidate Pappu Yadav as the main contenders. In a surprising move, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav urged the crowd at a rally to support both his party’s candidate and the NDA candidate. Yadav’s sole aim was to prevent Pappu Yadav from winning the seat.
Pappu Yadav, once an RJD leader, is seen as a strong contender in the race due to his proactive relief work during the Covid pandemic and the Bihar floods. Yadav’s return to Purnia has made the contest one of the most closely watched in the country.
The political dynamics in Purnia have been further complicated by the entry of Pappu Yadav. A former RJD leader, Yadav broke away from the party and formed his own political outfit, Jan Adhikar Party, in 2015. He later joined the Congress party, but left after being denied a ticket for the Purnia seat. Yadav’s wife, Ranjeeta Ranjan, is a sitting Congress MP.
The RJD’s decision to field Bima Bharti, a JD(U) turncoat who held a cabinet position in Nitish Kumar’s government, has also added to the complexity of the race. Yadav has sought support from Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, and has expressed his support for the Congress and the RJD in the upcoming elections.
The Purnia seat, once considered a politically quiet constituency, has now become one of the most closely watched in the country. The outcome of the election will have a significant impact on the political landscape of Bihar.
